Ayola

Ayola has been somehow hiding in plain sight. Maybe it's the other mediterranean food around the square - sajj, sababa that overshadow its red sign, maybe it's the small entrance, but I hadn't tried their greek offerings until recently despite passing this area on Kearny many times over the years.I got a veggie box, and each serving inside was thoughtfully arranged. The hummus, baba ghanouj, tzatzkiki and the bread, all were hot and excellent. I hope they start doing in-house dining at some point, I'd be going in here a lot more often.

My lunch was quick. But, the chicken gyro was, in a word, bland. The red onions were the prominent flavor. The tzatziki was, perhaps, hiding somewhere in there where it couldn't be found by human taste buds. The pita wrap was fresh, though.I may give them another try someone. Or not. Nothing exciting here. And so many other places to try in the Financial District.

This was one of my favorite lunch spots when I went into the city for work. It's in a crowded street so I can imagine it would be difficult to find parking if you're driving. I always walked from my office so it's never an issue. The cashier is always friendly with customers. There's a couple tables in the restaurant. It's really catered for takeout orders during the lunch rush. Which is great because the food always comes out quick! My go-to order is a large gyro wrap and french fries. The french fries are superb. The best texture and taste. The gyro wrap is also great. It's extremely filling. I usually eat 3/4 of it on a day when I'm hungry. There's also a hot sauce that's self-serve by the door. I always grab it so I can smother my fries and wrap for extra flavor.

I love the chicken shawarma bowl. The service was quick. People are friendly. The food tastes fresh. Perfect for lunch!

The perfect gyro! I've eaten here a few times now and it's quickly become a go-to when I'm in town. It's (relatively) cheap and (extremely) cheerful, just a great lunch.I prefer the chicken gyro, 7" will do you, it's tender and delicious and the salad toppings are really fresh. I love how they prepare the pita too, it's the perfect thickness and nicely grilled. This most recent visit, they didn't have chicken which was a shame, but the lamb and beef gyro is great too. Sometimes I find red meat too heavy but it wasn't greasy and it was just as well seasoned as the chicken.Their sign about having the best fries in town was what got me in the door, out of sheer curiosity. Well, I'm here to tell you that I haven't tried many fries in town but I've tried MANY fries in the world, and theirs are fantastic. Lightly seasoned, fresh and crispy, and fluffy in the middle. They know what they're doing here and it's consistent.

I was craving a falafel, so of course as I'm on Kearny St. there's a popular falafel place next to Ayola. I passed it up for Ayola because you can get the best French fries here w your falafel. I got mine crispy & salted, DELICIOUS! Sababa doesn't have fries, and is expensive. Just look at the small falafel and half my fries. So good! Can't wait to go back.

Looking for a healthier lunch option? Ayola is a solid spot in FiDi. Quick service. Simple menu. Also most items come with complimentary pita bread

I did not like my chicken gyro at all.. maybe it's the fact that I don't know what authentic chicken gyro should taste but I didn't like that my chicken tasted rubbery and it didn't taste like real chicken. It tasted like it was made of soy chicken but it definitely didn't have the consistency of real chicken that I would expect to taste. The gyro also felt like it wasn't saucy enough nor did it have any type of unique taste or kick to it even though I did lather hot sauce on it. I'm used to the gyro being warm (or at least the meat being warm) but this gyro was completely cold and just didn't fulfill my expectations. My friend got fries wirh his order of gyro and I thought the fries were delicious and well seasoned so that was one plus.There is a free baklava if you check in! I don't think I will be coming back again but if I do, I would want to try their falafel!

Chicken gyro was bland and had a strange texture. No char on the chicken or anything, just grey. I also think it was too expensive for the amount and quality of food. The staff is really nice, however, and the food came out quickly

The food was amazing and the staff were very polite. Definitely recommend. Nice inside also.